Germany, Australia sign space pact to monitor Russia, China

Australia’s and Germany’s defence ministers, Richard Marles and Boris Pistorius, held a joint press conference where they signed a Status of Forces Agreement and a pact on cooperation in space defence, ABC reports

Pistorius stated that Germany plans to invest €35 billion in the coming years, including in space sensors, and emphasised that a key element of the cooperation will be a space-based early warning system to detect threats from Russia and China.

“We need to be aware of what is going on up there. This is the only way to protect our own systems,” the minister said.

The Status of Forces Agreement will facilitate the work of Australian military personnel in Germany and German specialists in Australia. Pistorius highlighted that in an international environment with decreasing “reliability, honesty, and predictability,” partnerships with like-minded countries such as Australia are more important than ever.

When asked whether the behaviour of the Trump administration influenced Germany’s decisions, he replied that the country is determined not to “put all its eggs in one basket,” while the alliance with the U.S. remains critically important.

Through this joint pact, the two countries are taking a significant step forward in strengthening their space capabilities and defence readiness.